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Off the Beaten Path Attractions in the U.S- Skip the Touristy Places

Located on Fly Ranch in Nevada, these six-foot-tall, brightly colored geysers that spew boiling water over five feet into the air in the middle of the Nevada desert.

The USA is huge! There is so much to do, and while some places come highly recommended and see millions of tourists daily, others don’t. And within those hidden gems, you can have some of the most enjoyable vacations of your life. Skip the touristy places and instead visit these off the beaten path attractions in the U.S.

Located on Fly Ranch in Nevada, these six-foot-tall, brightly colored geysers that spew boiling water over five feet into the air in the middle of the Nevada desert.
Located on Fly Ranch in Nevada, these six-foot-tall, brightly colored geysers that spew boiling water over five feet into the air in the middle of the Nevada desert. Photo: Travel Nevada

Off the Beaten Path Attractions in the U.S

Wanting to visit big attractions like the Statue of Liberty, Disneyland, or the Empire State Building is natural because they are so highly talked about. And, of course, one of a kind. However, if you are looking for uniqueness, consider instead visiting these off the beaten path attractions in the U.S.  You’ll have better stories to tell!

Fly Geyser

If you are heading to Nevada and want to add something quite strange to look at, then check out the Fly Geyser. As the saying goes, Mother Nature will find a way. And this is what has happened here.

In the 1900s, the Fly Geyser started as a man-made well, but the incredibly hot geothermally heated water started pumping through the crack to form what we see now. Although they tried to stem the flow, the attempts were unsuccessful, and now there is a unique formation spouting hot water.

There is no public access to the site, but you can get 0.3 miles close from State Route 34.

Covered Bridges

Stay in a cabin rental in the Mountains and explore the Pennsylvania Dutch Country including attractions like its covered bridges.

Covered bridges Lancaster pa offers a way to go back in time and enjoy some of the covered bridges in the area. There are 29 historic bridges in the area, and the second-longest is 180 feet long. Pennsylvania has over 200 covered bridges, and Lancaster has the most.

The reason that covered bridges were erected is that, at the time, it was to protect the bridge’s deck and truss from snow and rain.

And my personal favorites are the Covered Bridges in Madison County, Iowa. Read More: Why You Should Visit Winterset, Iowa

Known as the covered bridge capital of the world, Winterset, Iowa area featues six covered bridges inspired the novel and movie, Bridges of Madison County.
Known as the covered bridge capital of the world, Winterset, Iowa area features six covered bridges that inspired the novel and movie, Bridges of Madison County.

Thor’s Well

If you are a lover of all things Vikings, but heading to the Nordics isn’t going to happen any time soon, head to Oregon instead. A strange well can be found close to Yachats in Oregon.

Sitting on the edge of the Oregon coast near Cape Perpetua, a gaping, seemingly bottomless sinkhole swallows the unbroken stream of seawater around it. Essentially Thor’s Well is a sinkhole now, but it used to be a sea cave until the roof collapsed. The well is around 6 meters deep, but due to the water rushing into it from the edges, it looks like the water flow never ends.

High tide gives you the best view, and visitors can use a nice paved trail.

Ben and Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard

Founded in 1978 in Vermont, Ben and Jerry’s is one of the world’s most consumed ice-creams. Of course, not every flavor has been a hit, and a few of the combinations have been a little less than desirable.

This place is dedicated to all the flavors that never seemed to be a hit – you never know what you might find there!

Each flavor has a tombstone with everything you want to know about the specific flavors.

What is fun is that visitors can vote on a flavor to resurrect from time to time – and you might just find it back in stores near you!

Carhenge

Visit the fun and quirky Carhenge near Alliance, Nebraska. Photo: Wikipedia

No, that’s not a typo! Carhenge is a real place, and it looks very much like Stonehenge, but it is made with cars. A unique, quirky pop-culture icon, Carhenge is open year-round from dawn to dusk.

You can find this pile of cars not too far from Alliance, Nebraska – it’s been around since 1987. All of the cars are painted grey to replicate the original even more.

It might not be as obvious and attractive as Stonehenge – but it’s certainly a unique place to check out!

Winchester Mystery House

If you like the spooky and the sinister, then you will love the Winchester Mystery House. A house that Sarah Winchester built under the advice of a psychic. The psychic recommended that she move to San Jose and build a mansion using the fortune her husband had left her when he died.

Along with a curse of the spirits from anyone who had died by the weapons upon which his fortune was built.

While the mansion has over 160 rooms, there are strange things inside, like stairways that lead nowhere, doors to nowhere, and inside windows.

Marfa Lights

In addition to those mysterious lights, check out Prada Marfa is a permanently installed sculpture by artists Elmgreen and Dragset, situated 1.4 miles northwest of Valentine, Texas.
In addition to those mysterious lights, check out Prada Marfa is a permanently installed sculpture by artists Elmgreen and Dragset, situated 1.4 miles northwest of Valentine, Texas.

The Marfa lights are a sight to behold and are somewhere that should be much higher up on the tourist attractions in the US. They first became noticed in the 19th century and can still be seen today.

No matter the weather, they can appear in all colors, including red, white, blue, and green. You can go to the official viewpoint or make your way along the unhabituated and difficult area to get a closer look.

 

When planning a trip to America, you likely want to get in as much as possible; here are some top tips to make the most of it: Tips to Explore All of The Americas.